WUSCHEL-related homeobox gene PagWOX11/12a is involved in drought tolerance through modulating reactive oxygen species scavenging in poplar

Abstract

WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factors play essential roles in key developmental processes and in response to different abiotic stresses. In a recent study, we have refined a molecular regulation mechanism that drought-induced PagERF35 directly activates the expression of PagWOX11/12a thus to promote root elongation and biomass, especially under drought conditions, and resulting in enhanced drought tolerance in poplar. In this study, we further found that PagWOX11/12a overexpression significantly enhanced drought tolerance and improved survival rate. Interestingly, transgenic poplars overexpressing PagWOX11/12a exhibited higher ability in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) under drought stress. Combined with these and previous findings, we proposed the mechanism that PagWOX11/12a could not only promote root elongation and biomass growth to increase drought tolerance but also improve plant drought tolerance by regulating ROS level through possibly modulating the expression of ROS scavenging related genes.